Floribunda rose plant variety named `Wekplapep`

ABSTRACT

A new variety of floribunda rose suitable for garden decoration, having flowers of striped red and white coloration.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to a new and distinct variety of floribunda rose.The varietal denomination of the new variety is `Wekplapep`. The plantis a bushy upright seedling, cultivated for outdoor garden decoration.It has as its seed parent the variety known as `Playboy` and its pollenparent the variety known as `Jacraw`.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Among the features which distinguish the new variety from otherpresently available and known commercial rose cultivars are thefollowing combination of characteristics: its unusual striped petalcoloration whose patterns are different on the upper and under petalsurfaces, its foliage with a somewhat quilted texture, its very dark rednew growth, its blushed coloration on the underside of the matureleaflets, and its strong spice and rose fragrance. `Wekplapep` may beasexually propagated by cuttings, budding or grafting.

Asexual reproduction of the new variety by budding as performed in KernCounty and Upland, Calif., shows that the foregoing and otherdistinguishing characteristics come true to form and are established andtransmitted through succeeding propagations.

COMPARISON WITH PARENTS

The new rose may be distinguished from its seed parent, `Playboy` by thefollowing combination of characteristics: whereas `Playboy` produces asingle petaled flowers of an orange blend coloration. `Wekplapep`flowers are irregularly striped red and white and have significantlymore petals, about 31 to 36. Whereas the new variety bears a texturedfoliage with a semi-glossy finish the foliage of the seed parent is lesstextured and has a very highly glossed finish.

The new variety may be distinguished from its pollen parent, `Jacraw` bythe following combination of characteristics: whereas `Jacraw` bearsmedium sized flowers with only slight fragrance, `Wekplapep` bearssignificantly larger flowers with a strong fragrance. `Wekplapep` has arounded mature plant habit of medium height, whereas `Jacraw` has a moreupright plant habit and is significantly taller.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF ILLUSTRATION

The accompanying photograph illustrates specimens of the new variety andshows the flowering thereof from bud to full bloom depicted in color asnearly correct as it is possible to make in a color illustration of thischaracter. Throughout this specification, color values are based uponThe Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, London, England, exceptwhere common terms of color definition are employed.

DESCRIPTION OF THE NEW VARIETY

The following description is of rose plants of the new cultivar grownoutdoors in Upland, Calif. in the month of April. Phenotypic expressionmay vary with environmental, cultural and climatic conditions, as wellas differences in conditions of light and soil.

Flower

The new variety bears its flowers sometimes singly, but usually inclusters of three to five or more per stem. Flowers are borne inirregular flat to rounded clusters on strong, medium to long stems(about 30 to about 38 cms.) for the class. Outdoors, the plant bloomsnearly continuously during the growing season. The flowers have a strongdamask and spicy fragrance.

Bud

The peduncle is of average to long length for the class (about 5 toabout 7 cms.), and is usually erect. It is moderately rough, with manystipitate glands. Peduncle color is between 146B and 144B, sometimeslightly suffused with near 183B on the side facing the sun.

Before the calyx breaks, the bud is of medium size for the class (about2 to about 2.5 cms. in diameter at the widest point), medium in length(about 2.5 to about 3 cms.), and pointed to globular in shape. Thesurface of the bud bears numerous stipitate glands usually with slenderentire foliaceous parts extending beyond the tip of the bud equal to 1/4or more of its length. Bud color is between 146A and 137B, sometimeslightly suffused with near 183B on the side facing the sun.

The inner surface of the sepals is covered with fine wooly tomentum;sepal margins are lined with some stipitate glands and hairs.

As the petals open, the bud is medium to somewhat large for the class(about 2.5 to about 3 cms. in diameter at the widest point), medium inlength (about 3 to about 3.5 cms.), and pointed to somewhat urn-shapedin form. The color of the under surfaces of the newly opened petals isirregularly striped and flecked with color ranging from between 4D and155A to between 53B and 46A. Sometimes the white portion of the petalthat is exposed to the sun blushes to between 54C and 48C. At the pointwhere the petal attaches, there is a moderately large some of near 4D onthe under surface. The color of the upper surfaces of the newly openedpetals is irregularly striped and flecked with color ranging frombetween 155A and 4D to between 53A and 46A. At the point where the petalattaches, there is a moderately large zone of near 2C on the uppersurface. The pattern of coloration on the under side of the petaldiffers from the pattern of coloration on the upper petal side. The budopens up well and is generally not prevented from opening by wet, cold,hot or dry weather.

Bloom

When fully open, the bloom is moderately large for the class, rangingfrom about 9 to about 12 cms. in diameter with about 31 to 36 petals andabout 2 to 5 petaloids regularly arranged. When partially open, thebloom form is somewhat cupped to high centered, and the petals areloosely spiraled to cupped with petal edges somewhat rolled under. Whenfully open, the bloom form is more cupped to somewhat globular, and thepetals are somewhat undulated.

Petals

The petals are of medium thickness, with moderate substance. The uppersurfaces are slightly velvety to satiny and under surfaces moderatelyshiny to satiny. The outer petals are nearly round to broadly obovate inshape with rounded apices. The inner petals are more narrowly obovatewith rounded apices.

Newly Opened Flower

The under surface of the outer petals is irregularly striped and fleckedwith colors ranging from between 155A and 155B to between 60A and 53A.At the point where the petal attaches, there is a moderately large zoneof between 2C and 4D on the under surface. The upper surface of theouter petals is irregularly striped and flecked with colors ranging frombetween 155B and 155A to between 53A and 46A. The white portion of thepetal that is exposed to the sun sometimes blushes to between 63C and55C. At the point where the petal attaches, there is moderately largezone of between 4C and 2D on the upper surface. The pattern of thecoloration on the under side of the petal differs from the pattern ofcoloration on the upper petal side.

The coloration of the under and upper surfaces of the intermediate andinner petals is similar to the coloration of the under and uppersurfaces of the outer petals but with less evidence of any blushing onthe upper surface.

The general tonality of the newly opened flower is irregularly stripedand flecked with colors ranging from between 155A and 155B to between53A and 46A.

Three Day Old Flower

The under surface of the outer and inner petals is irregularly stripedand flecked with color ranging from between 155D and 155B to between 61Band 53B. At the point where the petal attaches, there is a zone ofbetween 155A and 4D on the upper surface. The upper surface of the outerpetals is irregularly striped and flecked with color ranging frombetween 155D and 155B to between 60A and 53B. The white portion of thepetal that is exposed to the sun sometimes blushes to between 64D and63C. At the point where the petal attaches, there is zone of between 4Cand 4D on the upper surface. The pattern of the coloration on the underside of the petal differs from the pattern of coloration on the upperpetal side.

The general tonality of the three day old flower is irregularly stripedand flecked with color ranging from between 155D to 155B to between 60Aand 53B. The white portion of the petal that is exposed to the sunsometimes blushes to between 64D and 63C.

On the spent bloom, the petals usually drop off cleanly.

In April in Upland, Calif., blooms on the bush growing outdoorsgenerally last from about three to four or more days. Cut roses grownoutdoors and kept at normal indoor living temperatures generally lastfrom about three to four or more days.

Male Reproductive Organs

Stamens are arranged regularly about the pistil, nominally about 30stamens. The filaments are of uneven length, most with anthers. Theanthers are moderately small for the class and all open approximately atthe same time. Anther color is near 15A when immature and near 200B atmaturity. Pollen is somewhat sparse and near 14C in color.

Female Reproductive Organs

Pistils vary in number (normally about 65). The styles are moderatelyeven, short to average in length, average in caliper, and somewhattightly bunched. Stigma color is near 2B. Style color is near 45D.Ovaries are usually all enclosed in the calyx.

Hips are moderately short in length, very globular in form, and near 25Bin color when ripe. The hip surface is moderately smooth with moderatelythick fleshy walls. The sepals fall away soon. Seeds are few to averagein number (approximately 4 to 11).

Foliage

The compound leaves are comprised of three to five leaflets,occasionally seven leaflets, and are borne abundantly. The leaves aremedium to large for the class (about 11 to about 13 cms. in length andabout 9.5 to about 12 cms. in width at the widest point), moderatelyheavy and somewhat quilted in texture and semi-glossy in finish. Theleaflets are moderately large for the class (about 4 to about 7 cms. inlength and about 2.8 to about 4.5 cms. in width at the widest point),shaped broadly oval to somewhat ovate with acute to somewhat acuminateapices and round bases. Their margins are usually simply serrate.

The upper surface of the mature leaf is between 147A and 137A. The undersurface of the mature leaf is between 147C and 138B, sometimesirregularly suffused with between 183C and 183D. The upper surface ofthe young leaf is between 146A and 173B, often heavily suffused with acolor darker than between 187A and 183A. The under surface of the youngleaf is between 146C and 138A, often heavily suffused with between 187Band 183A.

The rachis is average in caliper and moderately rough. The upper side ismoderately grooved with many stipitate glands on the edges of thegrooves. The under side of the rachis is moderately rough with manystipitate glands and few small prickles.

The stipules are medium to long in length with medium width somewhatshort to medium straight points that usually turn out at an angle lessthan 45 degrees.

The plant displays an above average degree of resistance to powderymildew and blackspot as compared to other commercial varieties grownunder comparable conditions in Upland, Calif.

Growth

The plant has a bushy upright to rounded medium height habit (about 90to about 120 cms. in height and about 80 to about 110 cms. spread at thewidest point), with very full branching. It displays very vigorousgrowth and the canes are of medium caliper for the class.

The color of the major stems is near 146D. They bear some large prickleswhich are medium length for the class (about 0.8 to about 1.1 cms). Thelarge prickles are almost straight, angled very slightly downward with amedium length moderately broad to rounded base; prickle color is near165B.

The color of the branches is between 144A and 138A and have many largeprickles which are of similar size and shape to the large prickles onthe major stems; prickle color is near 161B, often lightly suffused withnear 180C. The branches also have few small prickles of similar shapeand coloration.

The color of the new shoots is between 144A and 138A, often heavilysuffused on the side facing the sun with near 183B. They bear many largeprickles which are of similar size and shape to the large prickles onthe major stems; prickle color is near 183A. The shoots bear severalsmall prickles of similar shape and coloration.

I claim:
 1. Plants of a new and distinct variety of floribunda rose substantially as described and illustrated herein. 